A Search for Core-Collapse Supernovae using the MiniBooNE Neutrino Detector

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for core-collapse supernovae in the Milky Way using the MiniBooNE neutrino detector, finding no evidence and setting an upper limit on the supernova rate within 13.5 kpc.

Contribution

It introduces a neutrino detector-based method to search for galactic supernovae and establishes new upper limits on their occurrence rate.

Findings

No supernovae detected during the observation period.

Set a 90% confidence upper limit of 0.69 supernovae per year within 13.5 kpc.

Demonstrates the sensitivity of the MiniBooNE detector for supernova searches.

Abstract

We present a search for core-collapse supernovae in the Milky Way galaxy, using the MiniBooNE neutrino detector. No evidence is found for core-collapse supernovae occurring in our Galaxy in the period from December 14, 2004 to July 31, 2008, corresponding to 98% live-time for collection. We set a limit on the core-collapse supernova rate out to a distance of 13.5 kpc to be less than 0.69 supernovae per year at 90% CL.